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Investigation, law and order wings to be separated, again

Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini said here on Monday that with the aim of carrying forward police reforms, investigation and law and order wings would be separated in each police station of the state by the beginning of 2014.

"By separating the two wings, we would be able to train our investigation wing officers with scientific techniques, thereby improving the conviction rate," the DGP told HT.

When pointed out that the same decision had been taken in 2010 by then DGP PS Gill and but had proved to be a big failure within months of its implementation, allegedly due to lack of adequate staff in police stations, the DGP said, "No, you are wrong, it was never implemented."

However, when the DGP passed on the query to additional director general of police (ADGP, administration) MK Tewari, the latter confirmed that a circular had been issued on the issue and the separation of wings was implemented in some police districts, but not successfully.

On December 22 last year, during the All India Commissioners of Police Conference in Amritsar, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal had patted his own back for implementing the separation of investigation and law and order wings in police stations of Punjab.

Saini, who was here to pay tributes to police martyrs on police commemoration day, said, "You see, a lot of ground work is required before implementing such a key decision and it will take another couple of months to start separate wings in police stations."

On the alleged free flow of drugs in the border state, the DGP said the police had fairly achieved success in curbing the menace, which was evident from the haul of about 277kg heroin last year as compared to about 100kg in the previous year.

"Recently, the intelligence wing of the state government interrogated more than 100 drug smugglers, who were questioned to know the sources of drug supply," the DGP added.

Regarding tackling the growing rate of cyber crime, Saini admitted that the police force was lacking in the probe of such cases, but soon efforts would be made to strengthen it.

"We have come to know that through the social media, efforts are being made by hardcore Sikh militants to influence the youth," the DGP said, adding that all such elements were under the police scanner and some of these attempts had already been thwarted.

On the police's alleged inaction over tackling illegal mining in the state, the DGP said there were instructions to all district police heads to take stern action against those found involved in this illegal trade.